Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic and Arctic: Responses of plants of polar terrestrial ecosystems to enhanced UV-B, an overview Jelte Rozema * , Peter Boelen, Peter Blokker Department of Systems Ecology, Institute of Ecological Science, Climate Centre, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands Received 10 December 2004; accepted 31 January 2005 Polar plant responses to UV-B may be different in the Arctic than Antarctic regions. Abstract Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic has been re-occurring yearly since 1974, leading to enhanced UV-B radiation. Arctic ozone depletion has been observed since 1990. Ozone recovery has been predicted by 2050, but no signs of recovery occur. Here we review responses of polar plants to experimentally varied UV-B through supplementation or exclusion. In supplementation studies comparing ambient and above ambient UV-B, no effect on growth occurred. UV-B-induced DNA damage, as measured in polar bryophytes, is repaired overnight by photoreactivation. With UV exclusion, growth at near ambient may be less than at below ambient UV-B levels, which relates to the UV response curve of polar plants. UV-B screening foils also alter PAR, humidity, and temperature and interactions of UV with environmental factors may occur. Plant phenolics induced by solar UV-B, as in pollen, spores and lignin, may serve as a climate proxy for past UV. Since the Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems differ essentially, (e.g. higher species diversity and more trophic interactions in the Arctic), generalization of polar plant responses to UV-B needs caution. Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Antarctic; Arctic; UV-B; Terrestrial polar ecosystems; Tundra; Stratospheric ozone; Deschampsia antarctica; Salix polaris 1. Introduction and outline of the paper For the last 30 years an annual ozone hole has occurred over the Antarctic and since about a decade ago ozone depletion has occurred over the north pole during the Arctic spring. During Antarctic spring 50e 60% ozone depletion has occurred uninterruptedly with marked increases in surface UV-B fluxes as a result. We briefly consider the development of the ozone hole over the south and north polar regions, current knowledge of stratospheric ozone and surface UV-B and possibilities to reconstruct past UV regimes. We mainly focus on the (few) field studies on effects of (enhanced) solar UV-B radiation on plant species in the (sub)antarctic and (sub)arctic climate zones. This is not an in-depth review, but a selective overview highlighting relevant results and research lines for the future. For more detailed reviews we refer the reader to the following: Caldwell and Flint (1994), Rozema et al. (1997), Caldwell et al. (1998), Huttunen et al. (1998), Sullivan and Rozema (1999) and Rozema (1999) review effects of increased UV-B radiation on plants of terrestrial ecosystems; Day (2001); Paul (2001) and Paul and Gwynn-Jones (2003) review the ecological * Corresponding author. Tel.: C31 20 444 7055; fax: C31 20 444 7123. E-mail address: [email protected](J. Rozema). 0269-7491/$ - see front matter Ó 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.01.048 Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442 www.elsevier.com/locate/envpol
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Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
www.elsevier.com/locate/envpol
Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic and Arctic:Responses of plants of polar terrestrial ecosystems to
enhanced UV-B, an overview
Jelte Rozema *, Peter Boelen, Peter Blokker
Department of Systems Ecology, Institute of Ecological Science, Climate Centre, Vrije Universiteit,
De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Received 10 December 2004; accepted 31 January 2005
Polar plant responses to UV-B may be different in the Arctic than Antarctic regions.
Abstract
Depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Antarctic has been re-occurring yearly since 1974, leading to enhanced UV-B radiation.
Arctic ozone depletion has been observed since 1990. Ozone recovery has been predicted by 2050, but no signs of recovery occur.Here we review responses of polar plants to experimentally varied UV-B through supplementation or exclusion. In supplementationstudies comparing ambient and above ambient UV-B, no effect on growth occurred. UV-B-induced DNA damage, as measured in
polar bryophytes, is repaired overnight by photoreactivation. With UV exclusion, growth at near ambient may be less than at belowambient UV-B levels, which relates to the UV response curve of polar plants. UV-B screening foils also alter PAR, humidity, andtemperature and interactions of UV with environmental factors may occur. Plant phenolics induced by solar UV-B, as in pollen,
spores and lignin, may serve as a climate proxy for past UV. Since the Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems differ essentially,(e.g. higher species diversity and more trophic interactions in the Arctic), generalization of polar plant responses to UV-B needscaution.� 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
For the last 30 years an annual ozone hole hasoccurred over the Antarctic and since about a decadeago ozone depletion has occurred over the north poleduring the Arctic spring. During Antarctic spring 50e60% ozone depletion has occurred uninterruptedly withmarked increases in surface UV-B fluxes as a result.
We briefly consider the development of the ozonehole over the south and north polar regions, current
0269-7491/$ - see front matter � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.01.048
knowledge of stratospheric ozone and surface UV-Band possibilities to reconstruct past UV regimes. Wemainly focus on the (few) field studies on effects of(enhanced) solar UV-B radiation on plant species in the(sub)antarctic and (sub)arctic climate zones.
This is not an in-depth review, but a selectiveoverview highlighting relevant results and research linesfor the future. For more detailed reviews we refer thereader to the following: Caldwell and Flint (1994),Rozema et al. (1997), Caldwell et al. (1998), Huttunenet al. (1998), Sullivan and Rozema (1999) and Rozema(1999) review effects of increased UV-B radiation onplants of terrestrial ecosystems; Day (2001); Paul (2001)and Paul and Gwynn-Jones (2003) review the ecological
429J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
role of UV-B; Searles et al. (2001a,b) comprises a meta-analysis of UV-B field studies; Flint et al. (2003)evaluate methodologies; Robinson et al. (2003), Robsonet al. (2003), Rozema et al. (in press) and Boelen et al. (inpress) review UV-B field research in the (sub)antarcticand (sub)arctic. The two main methodologies used formanipulation of UV-B radiation in the field arecompared (Table 2): UV-B (lamp) supplementationand UV-B (filter) exclusion or screening. Not onlyclimate differs between the Antarctic and Arctic, butalso their terrestrial ecosystems. Here we evaluate UV-Beffects on polar plants species and discuss consequencesof these differences (Table 1).
2. Ozone depletion over the Antarctic and Arctic
Since 1974 the thickness of the stratospheric ozonelayer has decreased by about 0.5% per year for alllatitudes, the tropical zones excepted, mostly as a resultof ozone breakdown by chlorine released from emitted
chlorofluorocarbons (Farman et al., 1985). Accordingly,surface UV-B radiation has increased by about 5%(Madronich et al., 1998; WMO, 2003). The Antarcticpolar vortex obstructs the supply of ozone from otherlatitudes, leading to severe ozone breakdown at thesurface of cold (�78 �C) polar stratospheric clouds(PSCs): the Antarctic ozone hole. Although completebreakdown of stratospheric ozone may occur duringsome days, ozone depletion is 50e60% on average. Theozone hole has occurred uninterruptedly every Antarcticspring for 30 years. Since 1995e1996 severe depletion ofstratospheric ozone has also occurred over the Arctic(Dahlback, 2002; Rex et al., 2004). The Arctic isclimatically less isolated and less cold than the southernpolar region. The critical temperature of �78 �C,required for ozone breakdown by chlorine at the surfaceof polar stratospheric cloud crystals, did not occurearlier until warming of lower layers of the atmosphereas a result of the greenhouse problem led to lowerstratospheric temperatures at the north pole in recentyears (Shindell et al., 1998).
Table 1
Comparison of antarctic and arctic terrestrial ecosystems in terms of climate, geographical and climatical degree of isolation, evolutionary and
biogeographical history, species diversity and ecosystem structure and trophic relationships
Antarctic Arctic
Climate and plant life Extremely cold, polar vortex Less extreme cold (Gulfstream), no polar vortex
Annual precipitation 350e500 mm Annual precipitation 200e350 mm
Mean air temperature warmest summer month Mean air temperature warmest summer month
econtinental antarctic: below 0 �C, no terrestrial plant life earctic areas: below 0 �C, no terrestrial plant life
terrestrial plant life including numerous vascular
plants
Turner et al., 1997; Smith, 2003;
Convey and Smith, in press
Rønning, 1996; Callaghan and Jonasson, 1995
Isolation Antarctic continent isolated from continents on
southern hemisphere, subantarctic island (groups),
also climatically isolated (polar vortex)
No real arctic continent, terrestrial arctic
ecosystems: northern tops of North America,
Eurasia (Siberia) and scattered island groups.
Climatically less isolated.
Smith, 1984, 1996, 2003
Species diversity of
(flowering) plants
Low (empty ecosystems), 2 flowering species High (filled ecosystems), e.g. about 160 flowering
plant species Svalbard archipelago
Smith, 1984, 1996, 2003 Rønning, 1996
Impact of human disturbance Low, but significant in subantarctic regions (islands),
many plant and animal species introduced
Comparatively low, also in subarctic, despite
long-term human presence
Smith, 1984
Terrestrial ecosystems
structure, Trophic
relationships
Simple, less representative Less simple, more representative
ee.g. no Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
mutualism in the Antarctic
ee.g. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi mutualism
widely distributed
eno large herbivore mammals elarge herbivore mammals (reindeer, musk ox)
Convey, 2001 Post and Forchhammer, 2002
Evolutionary, biogeographical
history
Very young, Colobanthus and Deschampsia pollen in
5000 year old peat, but no other vascular plants
Young, arctic tundra vegetation since last glacial
period: Younger Dryas, 11,000 years ago
Fabiszewski and Wojtun, 1997 Isarin and Bohncke, 1999
430 J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
While as yet no signs of recovery have been reportedand the Antarctic ozone hole in 2003 was the secondlargest ozone hole ever (WMO, 2003), recovery of theozone layer and disappearance of the polar ozone holesare predicted by 2050e2060 (WMO, 2003).
There is limited vascular and cryptogamic plantgrowth during the Antarctic or Arctic spring. Ozonedepletion is less in the polar summer, the main periodfor plant growth, but only limited data of ambient UV-Birradiance in the Antarctic and Arctic are available(Dahlback, 2002; Newsham, 2003).
3. Current, past and future stratospheric ozone
and surface UV-B, possibilities to reconstruct
past UV climates
Whilst chlorofluorocarbons, (CFCs) have beenbanned and recovery of the stratospheric ozone layeris foreseen, the sudden, unpredicted occurrence of theozone hole of the Antarctic in 1974, and its persistencefor many decades, leaves us with important questions.Has there been an earlier ozone hole? What was thecause of such an ozone hole, and how did the ozone holedisappear and: is there natural variation of stratosphereozone and surface UV-B (Rozema et al., 2002b)?
Instrumental monitoring of stratospheric ozonestarted only in 1926 (Staehelin et al., 2002; Webb,2003) using Dobson spectrometers. Despite marked fluc-tuation, a decline of stratospheric ozone in Staehelin’sdata measured at Arosa, Switzerland, between 1970e1980 is detectable. Reliable instrumental data frombefore 1920 do not exist.
Indirect evidence of past levels of stratospheric ozoneand surface UV-B may be derived from records of solaractivity. Unexpectedly, well documented records of sunspot counts dating from 1550e1600 exist and sun spotscorrelate strongly with solar activity (Lean et al., 1995;Lean, 2000; Rozema et al., 2002b).
Apparently, an 11-year sunspot cycle and possiblycentennial and millennial scale variation of solar activityexist, relating to variation of the temperature of planetEarth. Cold winters in parts of atlantic Europe in theLittle Ice Age (Maunder Minimum) correlate well withfew sun spots and low solar activity (Rozema et al.,2002b; Rind et al., 2004).
Satellite measurements started after the occurrence ofthe Antarctic ozone hole have significantly increased ourknowledge of stratospheric ozone and surface UV-B(Lean, 2000). At solar highs UV-B radiation is onlyslightly increased, while UV-C radiation is stronglyincreased, stimulating the formation of stratosphericozone, and thus solar activity is predicted to anticorre-late with surface UV-B. Recent reports of WMO (2003)demonstrate the predicted 11-year sunspot drivenvariation of stratospheric ozone.
It appears that the anthropogenic, CFC based (50e60%) depletion of stratospheric ozone causing theAntarctic and Arctic ozone, strongly exceeds the 11years based variation of stratospheric ozone (4e13%) orthe centennial or millennium time scale variation (27%)(Rozema et al., 2002b).
Additionally it is being attempted to track historicsurface UV-B (and stratospheric ozone) through mea-surement of UV-B absorbing compounds in plant partssuch as para-coumaric acid in pollen and moss sporesand monolignols in (sub) fossil wood and lignin, all ofwhich are preserved in the fossil record (Rozema et al.,2001a,b, 2002a,b; Blokker et al., in press; Doorenboschet al., in press). Using UV-B absorbing pigments(scytonemin) in blue-green algae inhabiting shallowAntarctic lakes as a proxy for past UV-B, Hodgson(2001) and Leavitt et al. (2003a,b) found evidence forincreased surface UV-B radiation in a period withreduced solar activity during the late quaternary andargued that Antarctic lakes may have received twice asmuch UV-B prior circa 3000e4000 years ago than theydo at present.
One of the most widespread products of the phenylpropanoid pathway is lignin, which is a peroxidasecatalysed polymerization product of three possibleprecursors. Coniferyl alcohol is the major componentof gymnosperm lignin, whereas lignin in angiosperms ismainly composed of both coniferyl- and sinapyl alcohol.Coumaryl units are abundant, e.g. in compression woodlignin and grass lignins (Humphreys and Chapple,2002).
Despite the small amount of possible monomers,lignin has a complex chemical structure due to the widevariety of possible intermolecular linkages. This and theinsoluble and non-hydrolysable nature of lignin make ithard to analyse it by conventional analytical techniques.A very useful tool is pyrolysis-GC/MS, especiallywhen combined with thermally induced hydrolysis andmethylation reagents such as tetramethyl ammoniumhydroxide (TMAH) (Blokker et al., in press).
In Fig. 1 aromatic monolignol compounds have beenidentified in wood of the polar willow Salix polaris, e.g.guiacyl units and syringyl units. Syringyl units corre-spond to sinapyl alcohol and sinapic acid, guiacyl unitsrefer to coniferyl alcohol and ferulic acid, and para-coumaryl units to coumaryl alcohol and para-coumaricacid. See also Blokker et al. (in press) for more detailedchemical and methodological information. The relation-ship between UV-B and these monolignols requiresstudies of responses of trees to elevated UV-B (cf.Laakso et al., 2000; Tegelberg et al., 2001), and currentlywe expose for this purpose Quercus, Pinus, Salix, Alnusand Betula trees to elevated UV-B (Rozema et al.,unpublished).
The aromatic building blocks of lignin are induced bysolar UV-B by affecting the key-enzymes of the phenyl
431J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Salix polarisPartial total ion currentTHM-py–GC/MS (m/z 50-800)
G = Guaiacyl unitsS = Syringyl units*= unidentified phenolicFame=fatty acid methyl esterCn= Carbon number
Fig. 1. Partial total ion current (16.80e30.00 min) of a TMAH-pyrogram of a 0.5! 1mm diameter piece of Salix polaris wood from Adventdalen,
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, collected June 2003. Peaks indicate relative abundance of guiacyl (derived from coniferyl alcohol) and syringyl units,
(derived from sinapyl alcohol). Retention time coniferyl alcohol: 24.66 min; retention time sinapyl alcohol: 26.10 min. See Blokker et al., in press for
more analytical detail.
propanoid pathway (e.g. Hahlbrock and Griesebach,1979; Meijkamp et al., 1999; Van de Staaij et al., 2002).The monolignol ratios of lignin of tree and plant speciesfrom various plant groups, latitudes and climate zonesdiffer (Taiz and Zeiger, 1991). It is hypothesized thatquantities or ratios of these monolignol compounds maycontain signals of past climates.
By means of experimental manipulation of singleclimate factors (e.g. UV-B, PAR, atmospheric CO2 andtemperature) obtained correlative relationships mayhelp to disentangle the complicated relation betweenmonolignols and environmental interactions.
4. Differences between Antarctic and Arctic climates
and terrestrial ecosystems
Stratospheric ozone depletion is most pronounced inthe Antarctic and Arctic, as explained above. Ozonedepletion at other than polar latitudes is less pro-nounced and subject to a variety of other factors such ashorizontal and vertical transport of ozone (Stohl et al.,2003; WMO, 2003).
We refrain from defining in detail the geographicalboundaries of the Arctic and Antarctic biome. Generallythe area demarcated by the subantarctic islands isconsidered Antarctic in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystemsstudies (Convey, 2001), reaching to latitudes far away
from the South Pole, e.g. Ile Crozet (47 � S). Dependenton continental or maritime influences, southern limits ofthe Arctic biome also vary (Hessen, 2002).
Both in the Arctic and Antarctic there is terrestrialand aquatic animal and plant life (Hessen, 2002; Smith,1984; Roberts, 1989; Convey, 2001a). However, terres-trial polar ecosystems in particular experience severeand harsh abiotic conditions, e.g. frost, wind, limitedwater availability, limited nutrient supply, short growingseason. Thus polar plant life is at the physiological limitsof survival (Robinson et al., 2003). Terrestrial polarplant life is restricted to relative mild maritime regionssuch as the Antarctic Peninsula and the Svalbardarchipelago, which is influenced by the warm Gulf-stream (Table 1). The Antarctic climate is, partlybecause of the polar vortex, more extreme than that ofthe Arctic. As a consequence vascular plants are few andcryptogamic plant species dominate the Antarcticterrestrial vegetation, with only two vascular plants(Smith, 1984) (Table 2), while in general plant life ismore abundant in Arctic regions. For instance the highArctic tundra of Svalbard contains more than 160flowering plants including dwarf shrubs such asCassiope tetragona and Salix polaris (Rønning, 1996).Arctic areas (e.g. Siberia, Alaska) are more or lesscontiguous with the sub-arctic Atlantic and temperatecontinents of Europe, Asia and North America and thusallowed exchange of plants and animals during periods
432 J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Table 2
Species composition of high arctic tundra vegetation at Adventdalen, Svalbard, the moss peat bank vegetation on Signy Island and Leonie Island,
near Rothera base
Adventdalen, Arctic Signy Island, Antarctic Leonie Island/Rothera, Antarctic
78 �55# N, 11 �56# E 60 �42# S, 45 �35# W 67 �35# S, 68 �2# W
Rozema et al., in press Boelen et al., in press Lud et al., 2002; Newsham et al., 2002
Terrestrial algae Terrestrial algae
Nostoc sp. Prasiola crispa ssp. antarctica
Solheim et al., 2002 Lud et al., 2001
Lichens Lichens
Peltigera aphtosa Turgidosculum complicatulum
Stereocaulon alpinum Usnea antarctica
Crustose lichen
Solheim et al., 2002; Bjerke et al.,
2003; Zielke, 2004
Lud et al., 2001
of climate change, including the glacial retreats duringthe Quaternary. This has led to a relatively highbiodiversity in Arctic biomes in contrast with Antarcticregions (cf. Smith, 1984; Convey and Smith, in press).At Peary Land (northernmost Greenland, 84 � N) about100 species of vascular plants occur (Holmen, 1957).Abundant Arctic terrrestrial plant life, together withcontiguity with northern hemisphere continents, has
probably also allowed the existence of large herbivoremammals like musk ox and reindeer at the Arctic tundra(Post and Forchhammer, 2002).
It is therefore obvious that assessment of responses toenhanced UV-B is relevant in terrestrial polar ecosystemswhich face severe ozone depletion for up to 30 years.
Table 2 illustrates the marked difference in diver-sity of vascular plants by comparing the vegetation
433J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
composition of the high Arctic tundra of Svalvard withthat of the moss peat banks of Signy Island and theterrestrial vegetation of Leonie Islands. The cryptogamicplant species list in Table 2 is incomplete, it just refers tothe species exposed to UV-B in our studies (Rozemaet al., 2001a, in press; Lud et al., 2001; Boelen et al., inpress). There are many more cryptogamic species in themaritime terrestrial Antarctic and Arctic environment(see e.g. Rønning, 1996; Elvebakk, 1994; Smith, 1984;Convey, 2001).
As a result of the low species diversity in the Antarctic,the structure and trophic relationships of terrestrialecosystems are relatively simple. In this respect Antarcticterrestrial ecosystems will be less representative ofecosystems from lower latitudes than Arctic terrestrialecosystems. The successful establishment of many in-troduced plant species, particularly in the subantarcticregion, indicates that niches in terrestrial Antarcticecosystems may have not been filled due to the geo-graphical isolation (Smith, 1996; Frenot et al., 1997).
Although subantarctic (South Georgia) populationsof Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis aremycorrhizal (Christie and Nicolson, 1983), roots of theperennial Antarctic hairgrass Deschampsia antarcticacollected from Palmer station (Demars and Boerner,1995) and from Leonie Island (cf. Rozema et al., 2001a;Rozema and van de Staaij, unpublished) were notinfected by arbuscular mycorrhiza. However, in thegreenhouse, roots of Deschampsia antarctica could beinfected with Glomus intraradices and Glomus etunicatumto form typical arbuscular mycorrhizae structures(Demars and Boerner, 1995). Probably the geographicalisolation has prevented natural transport of spores andfungal infection of Deschampsia root systems at Palmerand Leonie Island. In contrast a marked proportion ofroot samples of the perennial Festuca rubra collected atthe high Arctic tundra on Spitsbergen containedmycorrhizal fungal hyphae, spores, arbuscules orvesicles.
Root samples of Festuca rubra from the high Arctictundra at Svalbard were collected in June 2002 fromexperimental plots which had been irradiated with UV-Bfrom fluorescent lamps since 1996. See Rozema et al. (inpress) and Solheim et al. (2002) for more details on themethodology. The infection percentage of the UV-Birradiated plots (simulating 15% ozone depletion) was45% and in the control plots, receiving ambient solarUV-B, 38% of the root sampled was infected byvesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae, but the difference isnot significant (nZ4, pZ0:4).
Both the north and south pole regions were free ofterrestrial plant life during the last quaternary glacialperiod (Smith, 1984, 1996; Isarin, 1997) and currentterrestrial plant communities must be evolutionary andbiogeographically young. It is likely that invasion ofvascular plants and their mycorrhizal fungi in the Arctic
after quaternary glacial retreat was faster than at theAntarctic because of the geographical and climaticisolation of the latter. As a consequence of the markeddifferences between Antarctic and Arctic terrestrialecosystems (Table 1), results of UV-B field experimentsshould be compared with caution.
5. Depletion of stratospheric ozone, does enhanced
surface UV-B affect plant growth of polar
terrestrial ecosystems?
Results of UV-B supplementation and UV-B exclu-sion studies in the field at high latitudes have beensummarized in Table 3 (Antarctic) and Table 4 (Arctic).This is not a complete survey and review, for a morecomplete recent survey of effects of enhanced UV-B onterrestrial ecosystems see Caldwell and Flint (1994),Rozema et al. (1997), Searles et al. (2001a,b) andRobinson et al. (2003) (in particular for the Antarctic).Neither does the number of ‘‘no effect scores’’ or‘‘negative response scores’’ express objective quantita-tive importance, it is a selective, qualitative survey.
We have selected polar UV-B field studies with (leaf)growth, photosynthetic rates or DNA damage asparameters, which may indicate plants to be sensitiveor tolerant to elevated UV-B. In the case of UV-Bexclusion studies we interpreted reduced growth of nearambient UV-B compared to below ambient UV-B asa negative response. We excluded UV field studies onUV-B absorbing compounds from the survey sinceconcentrations of phenolics do not relate unambigu-ously to tolerance or sensitivity to UV-B (Searles et al.,2001a,b). Growth of the two phanerogamic Antarcticplants,Deschampsia antarctica andColobanthus quitensis,appeared to be affected by manipulated surface solarUV-B levels during periods of severe ozone depletion infield experiments lowering ambient UV-B levels tobelow ambient UV-B levels (Day et al., 1999; Ruhlandand Day, 2000; Xiong and Day, 2001). Leaf growth ofDeschampsia antarctica decreased with elevated UV-B,but shoot density increased and relative growth rate wasnot affected (Rozema et al., 2001a).
Similar results have been obtained in field UV-Bexclusion experiments running since 1996 at the sub-antarctic Tierra del Fuego by Ballare et al. (2001),Rousseaux et al. (1999), Searles et al. (2001a,b) andRobson et al. (2003) for Nothofagus species, the herbGunnera and Sphagnum species. So far such markedUV-B effects on polar plant growth have not beenconclusively confirmed by UV-B supplementation ex-periments in the field, neither in the Antarctic (cf. Ludet al., 2001, 2002; Rozema et al., 2001c, nor in the(sub)Arctic (Bjorn, 2002; Rozema et al., in press;Phoenix et al., 2001).
Table 3
Effects of plants
Species wth, photosynthesis,
A damage
No
effect
Negative Positive
Flowering
Deschamp ot growth C
Deschamp f growth CDeschamp f growth C
Deschamp f growth area, biomass C
Deschamp tosynthesis CDeschamp f length C
Deschamp ot density C
Deschamp R C
Colobanth f area, length,
ion biomass
C
Colobanth R, NAR, shoot
ass, leaf area
C
Mosses
Sanionia u mass, branch length C
Sanionia u nching CSanionia u A damage C
Sanionia u tosynthesis C
Sanionia u tosynthesis C
Sanionia u tosynthesis CCephalozi
aciphyll
tosynthesis C
Sphagnum
magella
ght C
Sphagnum
magella
itulum density C
Sphagnum
magella
mass per area C
Algae
Prasiola c
antarcti
tosynthesis C
Lichens
Usnea ant tosynthesis C
434
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UV-B manipulation (exclusion, supplementation) on plant growth, photosynthesis, DNA damage or N fixation in Antarctic
Location Reference UV-B treatment Gro
DN
plants
sia antarctica Palmer Day et al., 1999 UV-B exclusion Sho
sia antarctica Palmer Day et al., 2001 UV-B exclusion Lea
sia antarctica Palmer Ruhland and Day, 2000 UV-B exclusion Lea
sia antarctica Palmer Xiong and Day, 2001 UV-B exclusion Lea
sia antarctica Rothera Lud et al., 2001 UV-B supplementation pho
sia antarctica Controlled environment Rozema et al., 2001a,b,c UV-B supplementation Lea
sia antarctica Controlled environment Rozema et al., 2001a,b,c UV-B supplementation Sho
sia antarctica Controlled environment Rozema et al., 2001a,b,c UV-B supplementation RG
us quitensis Palmer Xiong and Day, 2001; Day et al., 2001 UV-B exclusion Lea
cush
us quitensis Palmer Xiong and Day, 2001 UV-B exclusion RG
biom
ncinata Rothera Lud et al., 2002 UV-B exclusion Bio
ncinata Rothera Lud et al., 2002 UV-B exclusion Bra
ncinata Rothera Lud et al., 2003 UV-B supplementation DN
ncinata Rothera Lud et al., 2002, 2003 UV-B exclusion Pho
ncinata Rothera Lud et al., 2002 UV-B supplementation Pho
ncinata Rothera Newsham et al., 2002 Naturally elevated UV-B Pho
ella
um
Rothera Newsham et al., 2002 Naturally elevated UV-B Pho
nicum
Tierra del Fuego Searles et al., 1999, 2002;
Robson et al., 2003
UV-B Hei
nicum
Tierra del Fuego Searles et al., 1999, 2002;
Robson et al., 2003
UV-B Cap
nicum
Tierra del Fuego Searles et al., 1999, 2002;
Robson et al., 2003
UV-B Bio
rispa ssp.
ca
Leonie Island Lud et al., 2001 UV-B exclusion Pho
arctica Rothera Lud et al., 2001 UV-B exclusion Pho
Table 4
Effects of UV-B m in (high) arctic tundra plants
Species Parameter No effect Negative Positive
Flowering plants
Vaccinium uligino
vitis-idea
Empetrum herm
Growth C
Vaccinium myrtill Growth C
Salix polaris Cover CSalix polaris DNA damage C
Dryas octopetala Cover C
Salix polaris Cover C
Cassiope tetragon Cover CCassiope tetragon DNA damage C
Pedicularis hirsuta N plants/plot C
Mosses
Polytrichum hype Cover C
Polytrichum hype Length male gametophytes C
Polytrichum comm Growth length biomass C CHylocomium splen Growth C
Svalbard, Adventdalen Bjerke et al., 2003 UV-B supplementation
436 J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Bryophytes form a significant component of bothArctic and Antarctic terrestrial vegetation, and areapparently well adapted to extreme polar climaticconditions. Where the Antarctic distribution ofDeschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis stops,latitudes of the southern distribution limits of bryo-phytes are further south (Smith, 2003; Convey andSmith, in press). Some of the Arctic and Antarcticmosses are cosmopolites, i.e. Bryum argenteum (Smith,1984, 1999), occurring outside the polar regions in open,exposed, urban microhabitats like rocks, walls, roofs.Other mosses are bipolar, e.g. Sanionia uncinata (Smith,1984; Lud et al., 2001). Some polar bryophytes dosexually reproduce and form sporulating sporophytes,i.e. Polytrichum hyperboreum on the Svalbard tundra(Rozema et al., in press). Antarctic mosses tend toreproduce more sexually at higher Antarctic latitudes(Convey, 1996; Smith and Convey, 2002). From thelimited number of field studies on polar bryophytes,it has been concluded that (partial) exclusion of solarUV-B in (sub)antarctic areas with significantly reducedstratospheric ozone does not affect growth, photosyn-thesis and DNA (Green et al., 2000; Huiskes et al., 1999;Lud et al., 2002, 2003; Newsham et al., 2002; Boelenet al., in press). Shoot length and shoot biomass ofsub(ant)arctic Sphagnum species was slightly affectedwith enhanced UV-B in UV-B supplementation fieldstudies, but biomass per ground area appeared to beunaffected (Gehrke, 1999; Searles et al., 2002; Robsonet al., 2003). Length of male antheridium bearinggametophyte Polytrichum hyperboreum plants was re-duced with enhanced UV-B, but not that of sporulatingand non-sporulating moss plants in the high ArcticSvalbard tundra (Rozema et al., in press). Branching ofthe Antarctic moss Sanionia uncinata was reduced, shootbiomass and length were unaffected, DNA damageincreased with enhanced UV-B during the day (PARlevel 1000e1500 mmol m�2 s�1) but was repaired duringthe (non-dark) night (PAR level 100 mmol m�2 s�1)(cf. Lud et al., 2001).
Here we conclude, based on the low number of fieldstudies in (sub)polar areas, that bryophytes are notsignificantly affected by enhanced UV-B levels simulat-ing 15e30% stratospheric ozone depletion. Bryophytes,with relatively non-differentiated leaves, often consistingof one cell layer, are no more sensitive to enhanced UV-Bthan vascular plants.
With the notable exception of the results of Day andhis group (Day et al., 1999, 2001; Xiong and Day, 2001),most UV-B supplementation and UV-B exclusion fieldstudies indicate no UV-B or only small UV-B effects.This is in line with conclusions drawn for UV-Bmanipulation studies for terrestrial ecosystems fromnon polar latitudes (Caldwell and Flint, 1994; Rozemaet al., 1997; Caldwell et al., 1998; Paul and Gwynn-Jones, 2003; Aphalo, 2003).
6. UV-B supplementation and UV-B exclusion
field studies in (sub)polar regions
In Table 5 technical, practical and differences andresearch consequences of UV-B supplementation andUV-B exclusion field studies are listed. Recently Flintet al. (2003) surveyed and compared UV-B supplemen-tation and UV-B exclusion field ecosystem studies. Amajor problem of non-modulated UV-B supplementa-tion is the excessive supply of UV-B irradiance undercloudy conditions and the altered spectral weightingfunction in case of shading by lamp arrays, while UV-Bexclusion with UV-B absorbing foils causes alteredPAR, temperature and humidity.
Problems of UV-B supplementation field studies mayconsist of excessive irradiance of UV-B during periodsof cloud cover in non-modulated systems (Flint et al.,2003) and irradiance of UV-A by the fluorescent tubes.The latter problem can be solved by application ofa proper UV-A treatment control, by comparing lampswith UV-A blocking foil with lamps with UV-A andUV-B transmitting foil (Boelen et al., in press).
UV-B exclusion studies (Fig. 2b) do not requireelectrical power supply and allow near ambient solarUV-B and below ambient UV-B comparisons, byfiltering UV-B wavelengths away with appropriate foils.These foils should be replaced regularly since the foilsphotodegrade. Thus natural solar UV-B is reduced. Thismay be particularly relevant at Antarctic sites withseverely depleted stratospheric ozone and high ambientUV-B. However covering plants with filter foils altersthe enclosed microenvironment, i.e. temperature mayincrease, humidity be altered (reduced during the day,increased by condensation during the night) and rainfallis intercepted. Attempts to prevent this by perforatingthe foil resulted in an uneven distribution of rainfall(Ballare et al., 2001; Flint et al., 2003). Altered humiditywithin the foil or under foil may be limited in the yearround windy environment of Tierra del Fuego (Robsonet al., 2003), air temperature inside and outside theexclusion plots did not differ (Searles et al., 2002), butthis seems to be the exception to the rule. In particularpoikilohydric mosses are susceptible to changes inenvironmental humidity and increased humidity in thefoil enclosed micro-environmental may have made theenclosed mosses (but also flowering plants) moreresponsive to elevated UV-B (cf. de Bakker et al., inpreparation).
Well-planned studies in controlled environ-ments exposing bryophytes to elevated UV-B andmoisture will be relevant in this respect to analyse UV-B-humidity, temperature and PAR interaction. Photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR, 400e700 nm) andinfrared radiation are differentially transmitted byUV-B excluding and UV-B transmitting foils, whichmay affect photosynthesis and plant growth and thus
437J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Table 5
Comparison of UV-B supplementation versus UV-B exclusion (filtering) field systems in terms of simulation of ozone depletion, methodology, costs,
power supply, maintenance (see also Flint et al., 2003)
UV-B supplementation UV-B exclusion
UV-B and ozone
depletion scenarios
Simulates various scenarios of stratospheric
ozone depletion, compares ambient and elevated
UV-B e.g. 15, 30, 50% ozone depletion.
If possible modulated UV-B supplementation
Compares ambient and below ambient solar UV-B fluxes,
above ambient UV-B not possible. Particularly relevant
in regions and period with ozone depletion and
enhanced surface UV-B
Caldwell et al., 1983; Sullivan et al., 1994;
Boelen et al., in press
Flint et al., 2003
Method, controls Ambient solar UV-B and (lamp) UV-A and UV-B
emitted by fluorescent tubes (and not filtered away by
mylar foil), non burning lamps, effigies
Ambient solar UV-B, UV-B transmitting foil and
UV-B blocking foil (mylar)
Costs, power supply,
maintenance
Expensive, requires electrical power supply, not always
available at remote places. Frequent renewal of foils
Relatively inexpensive, no electrical power supply
required, can be installed in remote places, less
frequently renewal of foils
Errors, artefacts,
problems
Lamps emit UV-A and UV-B, UV-A effect may be
assessed by comparing Mylar foil treatment to lamp
frame without output. However, UV-B effects cannot
be assessed without UV-A effect
Differences in transmitted PAR, increased temperature,
altered air humidity and reduced (not in Tierra del Fuego
with year round strong winds) or altered (uneven)
precipitation by interception by foil
Effects attributed to UV-B interact with PAR,
temperature and moisture
Searles et al., 1999, 2001a,b, 2002; Robson et al., 2003
Application Needs electrical power supply, has been
applied in Antarctic and Arctic
Maybe relevant in area of Antarctic ozone hole to
compare naturally elevated and lower levels of surface
UV-B. Long-term UV-B exclusion may imply marked
year to year variation in absolute UV-B levels
High arctic tundra, Svalbard: Gehrke, 1999; Bjorn, 2002;
Solheim et al., 2002; Zielke, 2004; Rozema et al., in press
Antarctic, Palmer station: Day et al., 1999
Antarctica: Rozema et al., 2001a,b,c;
Lud et al., 2002; Boelen et al., in press
Sub(ant)arctic:
Tierra del Fuego: Ballare et al., 1999;
Ballare et al., 2001; Rousseaux et al., 1999
Abisko: Phoenix et al., 2003
the response to UV-B (Flint et al., 2003). The aboveobserved altered microclimate inside foil enclosures mayimply that no clear UV-B effects are assessed in UV-Bexclusion studies, but interactions of UV-B with thechanged environmental factors.
Reduced growth of Antarctic plants comparingbelow ambient and near ambient UV-B in field UV-Bexclusion studies has not been confirmed by UV-Bsupplementation studies in polar areas, where ambientand above ambient UV-B irradiance levels are applied.At least in part this may be explained by UV-Birradiance dose response curves for (length) growth(Fig. 3). An ambient UV-Bbe (biologically availableUV-B) level of 2.5 kJ m�2 day�1 and 5.0 kJ m�2 day�1
UV-Bbe, an above ambient UV-B level, and 0 kJm�2 day�1 as a below ambient UV-B level was chosen,see Rozema et al. (2001a) for more explanation. Thecurve in Fig. 3 indicates that growth reduction inresponse to increased UV-B levels from 2.5 to 5.0 kJm�2 day�1 (as with UV-B supplementation) is muchless than increasing UV-B levels from below ambient(0 kJ m�2 day�1) to (near) ambient 2.5 kJ m�2 day�1(as
with UV-B exclusion). UV-B exclusion studies, drasti-cally reducing UV-B levels, may be more relevant forstudying the ecological role of UV-B, rather thanevaluating consequences of ozone depletion. UV-Bsupplementation studies in the field may help to assessconsequences of enhanced UV-B as a result ofstratospheric ozone depletion.
7. Conclusions
Based on the few available relevant polar UV-B fieldstudies, there are only few and small effects of enhancedUV-B on plant species from polar ecosystems. Themajority of the polar species and plant parametersrelated to growth and photosynthesis are not signifi-cantly affected by elevated UV-B (Tables 3 and 4). Thereare only few longer term field studies, consisting ofUV-B exclusion (Ballare et al., 2001; Rousseaux et al.,1999; Searles et al., 2001a,b; Robson et al., 2003), orUV-B supplementation studies (Phoenix et al., 2001;Solheim et al., 2002; Rozema et al., in press; Boelen
438 J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Fig. 2. aed. UV-B supplementation set up with small UV lamp systems. (a) At the Antarctic: Leonie Island (Rozema et al., 2001a,b,c). (b) At Signy
Island at a moss peat bank vegetation (Boelen et al., in press). (c) At the Arctic at the high arctic tundra of Adventdalen, Svalbard (Rozema et al., in
press). (d) UV-B exclusion set up in a coastal dune grassland ecosystem (Rozema et al., 1999). The UV-B blocking or transmitting foil is supported by
a frame and consists of overlying strips, transmitting precipitation to some extent. Ballare et al. (2001), Searles et al. (2002) and Robson et al. (2003)
use a similar UV-B exclusion set up in Tierra del Fuego terrestrial ecosystems, with perforated foil. Day et al. (1999, 2001) used vertical cylindric
set-ups surrounding the antarctic hairgrass Deschampsia antarctica.
et al., in press). Comparison and interpretation of UV-Bexclusion and UV-B supplementation field studies needto assess and quantify the possible errors and problemsinherent to the two differing UV-B manipulationmethodologies.
The finding that plants of polar terrestrial ecosystemsare not markedly affected by enhanced solar UV-B,neither the flowering polar plants, nor the moss speciesstudied, contradicts what several authors hypothesized:stressful harsh climatic and environmental polar con-ditions would make polar plants vulnerable to enhancedUV-B, and repair of UV-B induced damage could behampered by low polar temperatures. In addition, polarmoss plants have been assumed to be relatively sensitiveto enhanced UV-B because of single cell layer leaves(cf. de Bakker et al., 2005, in preparation), lackingspecialized epidermal cells with UV-B absorbing flavo-noids as in many flowering plants.
An alternative hypothesis to explain their UV-Btolerance is that plants like mosses and lichens are
63 days78 days
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
0 2.5 5
Fig. 3. Decreased leaf length (cm, Y-axis) of Deschampsia antarctica
(relative to leaf length at 0 kJ m�2 day�1) after 63 days and 78 days of
plant growth exposed to 0, 2.5 or 5.0 kJ m�2 day�1 biologically
effective UV-B (X-axis). Plants were grown in a climate room (4 �C,PAR 150 mmol m�2 s�1, 75% relative humidity). Calculated after
Rozema et al. (2001a,b,c). For more detailed description of
experimental conditions, see Rozema et al. (2001a,b,c).
439J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
evolutionary older than flowering plants and maytherefore have adapted to higher historic surface UV-Blevels, than those occurring at present (Rozema et al.,2002a,b).
We discuss several possible causes and consequencesof the responses of plants of polar terrestrial ecosystemsto enhanced UV-B.
1. The scientific evidence so far is not conclusive andmore and sufficiently replicated and longer term fieldexperiments are needed (e.g. Niemi et al., 2002).There is considerable spatial variation in the polarterrestrial environmental (Solheim et al., 2002) andlimited field plot replication and limited statisticalpower may have prevented significant UV-B effectsto be detected (Robinson et al., 2003; Aphalo, 2003).
2. The UV-B exclusion and UV-B supplementationfield approaches both provide useful information(Table 2), but differ essentially in the manipulatedUV-B levels (Fig. 3).UV-B exclusion studies, re-ducing ambient UV-B levels will, be more relevantfor studying the ecological role of UV-B, whileUV-B supplementation studies may help to evaluateconsequences of elevated UV-B during stratosphericozone depletion despite methodological problemsinvolved in both approaches.
3. Growth of terrestrial Antarctic and Arctic plants isnot significantly affected by elevated UV-B simulat-ing 15, 30 or may be higher (e.g. 50%) levels ofozone depletion. Assuming that experimentalmanipulation in the field (UV-B filtering or supple-mentation) does not contain insurmountable errors,and growth of polar plants has really occurred(polar plants grow slowly and the duration of thefield experiment should allow observable growth),the absence of any significant overall UV-B effectimplies that polar plants are adapted to high UV-Bregimes and capable of preventing UV-B damageand or effectively repair UV-B damage. UV-Binduced damage may occur in polar plants (Ludet al., 2002; Rozema et al., in press), but is repairedovernight by photoreactivation. In either case (pre-vention of UV-B damage or repair of UV-Bdamage), absence of significant UV-B effects maybe interpreted as (terrestrial) polar plants beingtolerant to enhanced UV-B. More generally this hasbeen concluded for terrestrial plants and terrestrialecosystems as a whole (Rozema et al., 1997;Caldwell et al., 1998; Paul and Gwynn-Jones, 2003;Aphalo, 2003). Also epidermal characteristics of(sub)arctic plants such as hairs and wax layers willcontribute to protection against UV-B (Kinnunenet al., 2001). The tolerance to enhanced UV-B ofhigher and lower terrestrial polar plants to enhancedUV-B may also relate to the evolutionary history ofterrestrial plants. Since the evolution of the planet
Earth, algal plant life in the oceans and evolution ofterrestrial plant life, some 500 millions years ago(Rozema et al., 1997, 2002a,b) the ozone layerdeveloped and early land plants like mosses andlichens may have experienced significantly higherUV-B than current surface UV-B levels. Present-dayterrestrial plants may still contain the UV-Btolerance acquired earlier (Rozema et al., 1997;Rozema and Bjorn, 2002).
4. There is considerable variation of surface UV-B inthe terrestrial environment related to latitude,altitude, albedo, cloud cover, shading (Rozemaet al., 1997; Caldwell et al., 1998; Paul andGwynn-Jones, 2003). Surface UV-B levels in tropicaland subtropical regions greatly exceed those of polarlatitudes and it is likely that terrestrial plants haveadapted to this marked variation. Polar plants areevolutionary young. The polar regions have becomerevegetated by tundra plants since the retreat ofpolar ice caps after the last glacial period: theYounger Dryas at the northern hemisphere some11 000 years ago (Isarin, 1997). This implies thatcurrent tundra plants originated from plants grow-ing at lower latitudes with naturally higher surfaceUV-B fluxes.
5. Antarctic and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems differessentially in terms of climate, degree of isolation(geographically and climatically), evolutionary andbiogeographical history, species diversity, impact ofhuman disturbance, ecosystems structure and trophicrelationships, so effects of UV-B on Antarctic andArctic terrestrial ecosystems should be cautiouslycompared and interpreted.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge two anonymous reviewers for theirrelevant and constructive comments on the manuscript.We thank Dr Hans Cornelissen for improving theEnglish text. The UV-B supplementation system atIsdammen and Adventdalen was started in 1996 underthe European Commission contract EV5V-CT910031.Dr B. Solheim, University of Tromsø and Dr M. Zielkeare greatly acknowledged for continuation and mainte-nance of the UV lamp facilities after 1998. Field work atSvalbard of J.R. in 2000 was funded by EC contractUVAQTER number ENV-CT97-0580. The installationof UV minilamps in 2002 is financially supported byNWO-ALW-NAAP grant number 851.20.010 (UVAN-TARTIC). The research of P.B. is funded by theCLIVAR (climate variability programme) of NWO-ALW, grant number 851.20.010). We acknowledge thepermission for the field work at Isdammen andAdventdalen from Sysselmannen, Longyearbyen, Sval-bard and the cooperation and support of UNIS,
440 J. Rozema et al. / Environmental Pollution 137 (2005) 428e442
Longyearbyen, Svalbard and the power supply andstorage facilities provided by Professor Dr A.S. Blix,Department of Arctic Biology, University of Tromsø.The support from and cooperation with Dr BjornSolheim, Dr Matthias Zielke, University of Tromsø,Norway, Dr S. Spjelkavik (UNIS) and Professor Dr I.Jonsdottir (UNIS) is appreciated. We acknowledge thesupport and advice for the AMF counts by TanjaScheubling and Marieke Doorenbosch. J.R. is greatlyindebted to Professor Satu Huttunen and the FinnishAcademy of Sciences to be invited to the IUFROmeeting (August 2004) at Oulu University.
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